Section 2
Section 2
Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders
Objectives
Objectives
Before class begins, write the objectives
on the board. Have students copy the
objectives into their notebooks at the
start of class.
䊳
Identify health risks
associated with anorexia.
䊳
Explain the relationship
between bulimia and
dieting.
䊳
List the main health risks
of binge eating disorder.
Myth Eating disorders affect only females.
Fact Eating disorders affect females more
than males, but males do develop eating
disorders. Because of this myth males are
even less likely than females to seek help
for an eating disorder.
Vocabulary
1. Focus
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•
•
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eating disorder
anorexia nervosa
bulimia
binge eating disorder
What factors other than gender
might keep someone from seeking help for an
eating disorder?
Warm-Up Myth/Fact
Ask students why they think this
myth about eating disorders exists.
(Media attention has been focused
on eating disorders in females.) Have
students share their responses to
the writing assignment. List the
suggested factors on the board and
refer to the list as you discuss each
eating disorder.
Anorexia Nervosa
What image comes to mind when you hear the word Thanksgiving?
Do you think of a turkey dinner with all the trimmings? In most cultures,
people celebrate holidays and other important occasions by preparing
traditional foods. But for some people food can be a source of anxiety.
An eating disorder is a mental disorder that reveals itself through abnormal
behaviors related to food. Eating disorders are about more than just food. They
are about emotions, thoughts, and attitudes. A person with anorexia nervosa
(an uh REK see uh nur VOH suh) doesn’t
eat enough food to maintain a healthy
body weight. The main symptom is
extreme weight loss. Other symptoms
include slowed heart and breathing
rates, dry skin, lowered body temperature, and growth of fine body hair. In
females, another symptom is loss of
menstrual periods.
Teaching Transparency W13
2. Teach
L3 EL Reading/Note Taking 4-2
L2 Adapted Reading/Note Taking 4-2
Anorexia Nervosa
L3 Addressing Misconceptions
Anorexia Nervosa Students may think of
anorexia nervosa as a physical problem.
Point out that anorexia involves changes
in brain chemistry that are similar to
those that occur in individuals who
have anxiety disorders. Although many
symptoms of anorexia are physical, the
underlying problem is not.
FIGURE 7 People with anorexia think
they are fat even when they are thin.
Anorexia affects about one out of
every one hundred teenaged girls.
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Chapter 4
TEENS Are Asking . . .
Q: How can I tell if my friend Kim has
she try to hide her weight loss by wearing
bulky clothing? Does she have a specific
goal (for example, losing five pounds) or
There are several behaviors you can look
does she not mention a specific goal or
for when trying to distinguish anorexia from
stopping point? These indicators are not
ordinary dieting. Is Kim willing to discuss
foolproof, so it is always wise to talk with a
her diet with close friends or is she secretive
trusted adult if you are worried that a
about her eating habits? Is she excited to
friend may have an eating disorder.
share news about her weight loss or does
anorexia or is just dieting?
A:
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Chapter 4
Body Image and Magazines
Many teens are not satisfied with the size or shape
of their bodies. This dissatisfaction can sometimes
lead to an eating disorder. Images in magazines can
contribute to the problem. Use this checklist to evaluate the messages that teen magazines send about
your body and appearance.
Do the images show a narrow
range of body shapes and sizes?
Are the females in the images
taller and thinner than typical
teenage girls?
Are the males in the images
taller and more muscular
than typical teenage boys?
Are there stories about people
who are dieting, bulking up,
or getting a makeover?
Does the magazine make you
feel dissatisfied with your body?
Two or more “Yes” answers reveal how magazines
influence readers’ feelings about their own bodies.
Activity
Look at a magazine that is aimed at teens.
Use the checklist to evaluate the images in the magazine. Then write a paragraph summarizing what you
learned. Also describe how looking at the images
affected you.
Health Risks Even when they are extremely thin, people with
anorexia see themselves as fat and work hard to lose more weight. They
may use exercise or diet pills to help lose weight. A person with anorexia
can starve to death. In some cases, a lack of essential minerals causes
the heart to stop suddenly, leading to death.
Body Image and Magazines
Have students bring in magazines
to analyze. Provide additional
magazines for students to use.
Allow students to work
in pairs or small groups
to analyze the images, but have
them do the writing assignment
by themselves. Allow students to
record in their private journals
how looking at the images made
them feel.
Activity
L2 Building Vocabulary
Explain that the word anorexia literally
means “lack of appetite.” Ask: Why is
this an inaccurate description of
anorexia nervosa? (Individuals with
anorexia nervosa have a normal
appetite and do experience hunger.)
L3 Building Health Skills
Advocacy Ask students to make a
pamphlet or poster that describes the
possible causes, symptoms, treatments,
and health risks of anorexia nervosa.
Encourage students to use powerful
words and images to capture teens’
attention. Arrange for students to
display their completed posters or
pamphlets throughout the school.
Possible Causes The lack of a chemical that regulates mood is one
possible cause of anorexia. Other possible causes are low self-esteem and
a strong desire to please others. A person with anorexia may have a history of troubled relationships. By controlling what they eat, or more
accurately what they don’t eat, people with anorexia may be attempting
to take control of their lives. Instead, the disorder begins to control them.
Connect to Sample answer: Students may
YOUR LIFE refer to media images, peer
Treatment People with anorexia usually deny that there is a problem.
They need to be encouraged to get help. Because of their extreme weight
loss, they are often first treated in a hospital. Doctors, nurses, and dietitians work together to stop the weight loss and change a person’s eating
habits. At the same time, mental health experts work with the patient and
family members to address the underlying emotional problems.
Connect to
YOUR LIFE
MEDIA Wise
pressure, or the inability to participate
in activities.
What factors might influence a person’s decision
to gain or lose weight?
Mental Disorders and Suicide 91
L2 Less Proficient Readers
Have students work in three groups. Each
group should use the text to learn about
one of the eating disorders described in
this section. Ask the students in each group
to find a creative way to share their information with the other groups. After each
group has presented its information, ask
students to preview the Section 2 Review
questions on page 93. If students cannot
answer the questions, have them review
the information in the text to find the
answers.
Mental Disorders and Suicide
91
Chapter 4, Section 2
Bulimia
Bulimia
Another eating disorder that is seen mainly in young women is bulimia.
People who have bulimia (byoo LIM ee uh) go on uncontrolled eating
binges followed by purging, or removing, the food from their bodies.
They purge the food by making themselves vomit or by using laxatives.
L3 Online Activity
PHSchool.com
Use the Web Code to
access an online activity about eating
disorders. Have students complete the
Web activity.
For: More on eating
disorders
Visit: PHSchool.com
Web Code: ctd-2042
L1 Visual Learning: Figure 8
Ask students why it can be harder to
recognize that a person has bulimia
as compared to anorexia. (There isn’t
usually an obvious weight loss with
bulimia.) Emphasize the health risks
associated with bulimia.
Possible Causes Many of the causes listed for anorexia also apply
to bulimia. In addition, people who binge may use food as a way to feel
better emotionally. Then they purge because they are concerned about
gaining weight. Bulimia may begin in connection with a diet, but the
person soon becomes unable to stop the cycle of bingeing and purging.
L2 Active Learning
Have students use a Venn diagram to
compare and contrast bulimia and
anorexia nervosa. Ask students to
include information about the possible
causes, treatments, symptoms, and
health risks of each disorder. After
students complete their diagrams,
have them make a large Venn diagram
on the board or on an overhead
with information from their individual
diagrams.
Health Risks Most people with bulimia maintain a weight within
their normal range. However, the cycle of bingeing and purging has a negative effect on their health. They may suffer from dehydration, kidney
damage, and a lack of necessary vitamins and minerals. The stomach acid
in vomit irritates the throat and erodes the enamel from teeth. People
with bulimia often become depressed and may even think about suicide.
Treatment People who have bulimia are aware of what they are
doing, but they are unable to control their behavior. They often are too
ashamed of their behavior to seek help. If you know someone with the
signs listed in Figure 8, offer your support in private. Then gently encourage the person to seek the help of a mental-health professional. There are
many effective treatments for bulimia.
FIGURE 8 Some athletes are at risk
for an eating disorder because their
sport has rules about weight. For
example, a wrestler must be within
a set weight range to qualify for a
given weight class.
Connect to
YOUR LIFE
If you suspected that a friend was bingeing and
purging, what would you say to your friend?
Connect to Allow students to answer
YOUR LIFE this question in their
private journals.
Possible Signs of Bulimia
• Unable to control eating binges
• Eating too much food too quickly
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•
•
•
Eating in private
Cycles of weight gain and loss
Bathroom visits right after eating
Hoarding or storing food
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and Health
L3 Public Service Announcement
Have students write a brief announcement
about bulimia that is aimed at parents.
The announcement should describe the
eating disorder, explain the health risks,
and provide some possible warning signs.
92
Chapter 4
Challenge students to consider other aspects
of an announcement designed to appear on
television. For example, would they use a
spokesperson or a voice over? What kind
of images or music would they use?
Binge Eating Disorder
Binge Eating Disorder
Visual Learning: Figure 9
Have you ever eaten so much at a holiday dinner that you couldn’t eat
dessert? Or perhaps you ate all of your Halloween candy in a single
evening. Everyone overeats once in awhile. But some people cannot control their compulsion to overeat. People with binge eating disorder
regularly have an uncontrollable urge to eat large amounts of food. They
usually do not purge after a binge. People with binge eating disorder
cannot stop eating even when they are full. They may intend to eat two
slices of bread and end up eating the entire loaf.
Health Risks Someone with binge eating disorder isn’t going to starve
to death or suffer the consequences of repeated purging. But there are health
risks with binge eating. The main physical risks of binge eating disorder
are excess weight gain and unhealthy dieting. When people gain an
unhealthy amount of weight, they are at greater risk for illnesses such as
diabetes, and physical disorders such as high blood pressure. To deal with
the weight gain from binges, some people try extreme diets that promise
rapid weight loss. The hunger caused by such diets can trigger more binges,
which can trigger more dieting—a yo-yo effect.
Possible Causes Some people use binge eating to avoid dealing with
difficult emotions, such as anger, or with stressful situations. The food
may provide some temporary relief, but it can lead to other difficult emotions, such as guilt or depression.
Caption Answer Sample answer: Based
on the size and number of containers, if
all this food were consumed by a single
person, it would qualify as a binge.
L3 Building Health Skills
Advocacy Have students discuss the
physical risks of binge eating, anorexia,
and bulimia. Ask students to describe
strategies they would use to advocate
for a friend who has an eating disorder.
FIGURE 9 Someone with a binge
eating disorder eats a large amount
of food in a short amount of time.
Evaluating Based on the
containers, do you think the
amount of food eaten qualifies
as a binge? Explain.
3. Assess
Evaluate
These assignments can help you assess
students’ mastery of the section content.
Section 2 Review
Answers appear below.
Teaching Resources
Treatment People with binge eating disorder need help in learning
how to control their eating. They may need to eat more slowly and deliberately. They often need to address underlying emotional problems.
• Practice 4-2
• Section 4-2 Quiz
L2 Reteach
Section 2 Review
Key Ideas and Vocabulary
1. What is an eating disorder?
2. What health risks are associated with anorexia?
Why are people with anorexia unlikely to ask
for help?
3. What is bulimia? Explain the connection between
bulimia and dieting.
4. What health risks are possible for someone with
binge eating disorder?
Critical Thinking
5. Comparing and Contrasting How are bulimia
and anorexia alike? How are they different?
Health at School
Eating Disorders and Athletes Interview a
coach or trainer about the role athletics may play
in some eating disorders. Ask in which sports
eating disorders are most often seen. Ask what a
coach or trainer can do to help prevent eating
disorders. Write a paragraph summarizing what
you find out.
For each eating disorder described in
the section, ask students to complete
the following sentence: I would suspect
that a friend had anorexia (bulimia,
binge eating disorder) if I observed the
following three symptoms: . . .
L4 Enrich
Teaching Resources
6. Evaluating When Brittany visits her aunt, her aunt
insists that she take second helpings at dinner. To
please her aunt, Brittany eats beyond the point
that she feels full. Is this a sign that Brittany has an
eating disorder? Explain your answer.
Mental Disorders and Suicide 93
• Enrich 4-2
Health at
School
Eating Disorders and Athletics Ask
students to prepare their interview
questions in advance. After students
complete the activity, have a class
discussion about what students
learned from their interviews.
Section 2 Review
1. mental disorder that reveals itself through
abnormal behaviors related to food
2. Risks include starvation and cardiac arrest.
They usually deny there is a problem.
3. Bulimia is characterized by uncontrolled
eating followed by purging. Purging is
used to lose or maintain weight.
4. excess weight gain and unhealthy dieting
5. Both mental disorders include abnormal
behaviors related to food. With anorexia,
a person avoids eating; with bulimia, a
person binges and purges.
6. Sample answer: No, because Brittany does
not overeat on a regular basis
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